2009 EVENTS

PEARL HARBOR
DAY

Pearl Harbor Day -
Monday 12/7/2009 at 1:30 pm at the Island Club "Walk of Honor" featured
the Lexington Veterans Color/Honor Guard & Silent Rifle Drill Team;
Alex Alexandro singing "I Believe" and "God Bless America"; and Main
Speaker Ed Unser, Korea & Vietnam Air Force Veteran awarded the Silver
Star, 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 2 Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart
and Air Medal with 17 clusters and an historian and writer for the
News-Press, talked of his experiences as a pilot in Vietnam and tied
Pearl Harbor into the discussion and the Lone Piper, George Cook played
"Scotland, the Brave" for the march in and out and "Amazing Grace".
Cookies and soft drinks followed at the Social Center of the Island
Club. (Photos by
Howard Miller & Ned Shepard)

Main Speaker Ed Unser,
Commander Ruff & two Marines from Recruiting Station

Piping in the Honor Guard

At Present Arms during
National Anthem

Piper George Cook playing
"Amazing Grace"

Saluting the flag as it is
brought to half staff

Audience

Commander Ruff giving opening
remarks

Silent Rifle Drill Team lead
by James Antonic

Alex singing "I Believe"

Main Speaker Ed Unser

Flag a t half staff

Chaplain Paul Tenenbaum
delivers Prayer

Woman helping her WWII Veteran
to a seat

Unser speaking

VETERANS DAY

The weather cooperated
to give us an inspiring Veterans Day Ceremony - Thursday 11/11/2009 at
the Flagpole in front of the Main Clubhouse featuring the Lexington
Veterans Color/Honor Guard; The nationally acclaimed Fort Myers High
School "Green Wave" Drum Line; Members of the Cape Coral Elementary
School Choir; Main speaker Capt John "Giddyup" Bunch, Marine Corps
Veteran of Vietnam and founder of the "Operation Open Arms". ( Photos by Howard Miller,
Ned Shepard & Dave Capel)

The Memorial Day
Ceremony was held at the Main Clubhouse on Monday, May 25, 2009 at
10:30am . Many, many people have told us that this was clearly the best
ever Memorial Day Ceremony. Lexington experienced a huge crowd both
outside under the canopy and inside for the luncheon. We had 163 people
for lunch (a record for us) and around 400 people in attendance at the
outside ceremony.The day
featured the Veterans Color/Honor Guard and the Lee County Pipes & Drums
plus special music, featuring three singers, Julia Kaye, 12 year old
granddaughter of Howard & Fran Miller, who opened with the Star Spangled
Banner and singer Michael Hurley, grandson of Rich & Monica Hill, sang
two songs, "After You Go", a tribute to all veterans and "To Where You
Are" at the outside ceremony. Michael has appeared at Lexington a
couple of times in the past. Lexington's own Alex Alexandro again
orchestrated the music program and sang "God Bless the USA". 56
deceased Lexington Veterans were honored in a Flanders Field ceremony.
The main speaker Jack Wagner, Purple Heart Vietnam Veteran and Past
National Commander of the Combat Infantrymen Association and one of the
key veterans on the Pride & Patriotism Event Committee in Lee County
paid tribute to all veterans. We also heard from the 2009 Edison State
College essay winner of "Freedom Is Not Free", Chanae Jamison, who
received a $500 scholarship from the LVA and LCA President Lou
DeAngelis, a Marine Corps veteran and LCA GM Al Kinkle. Luncheon
followed, with special guest singer Michael Hurley who unveiled his new
video for the LVA, along with recognition of departing Honor Guard
member Frank Burlingham and his wife Lois and the first ever award of
"Distinguished LVA Member" to Yong Chol Ahn, deceased, accepted by his
widow, Eleonore Ahn. This entire day was led by our Commander Ron Ruff.
(Photos by Howard Miller & Dave
Capel)

Largest crowd ever
pay tribute to veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice

Wagner's three
buddies who are members of the Combat Infantryman Association

Another CBI Veteran

Another view of the
large crowd that extended well beyond the sun shade

VETERANS SOCIAL
OUTING

For the second year in a row
the LVA held a fun, season ending Social Outing at the Island Club on
Friday evening, April 17, 2009. Headlining the fun evening was our
Music Man Alex Alexandro who did everything from sing to DJ to feeding
the Karaoke frenzy. Plenty of beer and a lush potluck dinner fed by a
weather perfect evening.

Alex the singer, DJ
and Karaoke Director

The Polk's and the
Passini's

The Ratliff's & the
Burlingham's plus 1/2 of Ben

Look at the smiles on
Brownie & Marilyn's faces...come on Ron

Jay and Shay Burgess

The Klein's licking
their chops

Monica and Bernie
talking with

Rosemary and Shirley

Eleonore and

The two Army brats -
James & George

Commander with the
Gunderson's

The Kleinsmith's

Navy vs Army...what a
sound!

These guys dominated
the scene

Rich & Monica singing
up a storm...or was that a hurricane?

Antonic and Hyers
having a serious? conversation

The Ratliff's

The Gass' & the
Kaleel's

Commander Ron & the
Music Director

The Hyers

The Miller's

VETERANS BALL

Saturday evening
February 28, 2009 at 6:00 pm was the kickoff of the Lexington Veterans
Annual Ball in the Vista Room. As you parked in the parking and got
out of your cars you heard the eerie sounds of the Piper and you knew
you were in the right place. Check in and cocktails and some yummy
appetizers and then at 6:45pm came those eerie sounds of Piper George
Cook as led the Veteran Officers and current Military in a march in.
The Pledge of Allegiance, a prayer and the Armed Forces Medley plus a
few words from Commander Ruff before dinner. Double Dare took over for
some dinner music before the dance scene began after dinner. As before
in past years, it again was a gala affair. Conducted by Vice Commander
Paul Tenenbaum the big raffle drawing occurred for the $1000, $750 and
$500 saving bonds. The $1000 winner was none other then Coast Guard
Veteran Ned Sheppard who graciously gave his earnings back to the fund
raising drive for the TBI Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Second
place winner was Robert Pawlecki and third place was John Minkiewcz.
(Photos by Ned
Sheppard and Howard Miller)

Lexington
Veterans Officers

Our three current
Military Guests - Navy Coast Guard & Marine Corps

Coast Guard
Petty Officer Townsend and fiance' Brandy

Table 1 - Looks
pretty swabby - as in sailor - to me

Table 2- Semper
Fi and I recognize one Army Combat Infantry Badge recipient and the
parents of another.